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Representative Elmer Hernandez Rebukes Lobbyist Over Campaign Materials; House Adjourns
Summary
Representative Elmer Hernandez used his personal-privilege time to accuse lobbyist Hugo Polanco (Creosote) of displaying campaign stickers and running a critical website while appearing in committee; the House later approved a motion by Majority Leader Carbone to adjourn until Jan. 15, 2026.
During the Jan. 13 Arizona House floor session, Representative Elmer Hernandez used his allotted personal-privilege time to accuse a lobbyist identified in the transcript as Hugo Polanco of Creosote of inappropriate campaigning and disrespectful conduct during committee testimony.
Hernandez said a website had been "talking bad about me and my family" and criticized Polanco for appearing in committee "with the sticker from the campaign that he is behind on his work laptop in committee testifying, pointing at me." He called the conduct "extremely disrespectful, a lack of decorum and unprofessional," and warned the lobbyist and his team to stop placing signs around Hernandez’s neighborhood.
The transcript records no immediate response or rebuttal from Hugo Polanco or other lobbyists on the floor. Speaker pro tem reminded members that personal-privilege comments at the start of the day are limited to guest introductions (one minute) and that other personal-privilege comments are scheduled for the end of the day and limited to three minutes.
Later in the session Majority Leader Carbone moved that the House "stand adjourned until 10AM, Thursday, 01/15/2026." The Speaker pro tem called a voice vote; "ayes" were heard, the speaker announced "the ayes have it," and the House stood adjourned until that date. The clerk earlier recorded attendance as 56 present, 2 absent and 2 excused; the record shows only a voice vote on the adjournment, with no roll-call tally provided in the transcript.
No formal ethics referral, disciplinary action, or committee investigation was recorded in the transcript as a result of Hernandez’s remarks; the complaint was raised on the floor during personal-privilege time but the House took no immediate formal action on the allegation in the available transcript.
